Lynn’s adopted town makes her mayor

The new Town Mayor of Garstang, Councillor Lynn Harter, seen here with the full council

Published:11:25Wednesday 27 May 2015

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Garstang’s new town mayor has pledged to ensure that the town’s voice is heard when new plans are unveiled for local development.

She has also revealed the private anguish behind her choice of mayoral charity.

Coun Lynn Harter was installed as mayor at a civic ceremony in Garstang’s Community Centre last week, some 12 years after she and husband fellow town Coun. and former mayor Gordon Harter moved to the town.

In a wide ranging speech she also spoke of her hopes for a “more open dialogue” between the Town Council and Wyre Council and its local councillors.

Coun Harter, who has played a key role in promoting the town, documenting its Britain in Bloom entries and has also established the Youth Council, thanked retiring mayor Coun Graham Salisbury saying he had :

“held the reigns in what has turned out to be a very tough and challenging year for us all. Graham

has worked tirelessly to enter into negotiations with Wyre council over the controversial future of Garstang’s community and leisure facilities. He has, and I hope will continue to be the spokesperson in those ongoing negotiations.”

She pledged: “I and my fellow councillors will endeavour to keep Garstang’s infrastructure

“needs” at the forefront of Wyre’s future plan for our town. We DO have to

embrace change and encourage growth but we also have to protect our

heritage and fight on for a fair and proportional improvement to our schools,

roads, leisure facilities and other vital infrastructural needs...preferably BEFORE

all the houses are built.”

She added: “I will also continue to lobby Wyre planners to ensure that all the affordable houses stated by the developers ARE affordable whatever that may mean. We cannot have plans stating a percentage will be starter homes for our young people, and then find developers have made subtle changes that turns the original affordable home into a four bed detached for the commuter.”

Speaking up for local democracy she declared the town council could help local people to have a voice and facilitate communication with both borough and county councils.

The mayoral charity will BANA, the British Acoustic Neuroma Association which helped her after she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour some two years ago. She said: “I would like to pay them back with whatever I can raise this year.”